used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
alternativeadjectiveUS /ɔːlˈtɜːrnətɪv/
serving or used in place of another
From this reading Whole families destroyed themselves, dying in each other’s arms, and with their expiring breaths cursing those who had induced them to embrace such a dreadful alternative.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Whole families destroyed themselves, dying in each other’s arms, and with their expiring breaths cursing those who had induced them to embrace such a dreadful alternative.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
breathsnounUS /breθs/
plural of “breath” — the process of taking in and expelling air during breathing
From this reading Whole families destroyed themselves, dying in each other’s arms, and with their expiring breaths cursing those who had induced them to embrace such a dreadful alternative.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
Chittore
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The inhabitants of Chittore now gave themselves up to despair.
cursingverbUS /ˈkɜːrsɪŋ/
-ing form of “curse” — utter obscenities or profanities
From this reading Whole families destroyed themselves, dying in each other’s arms, and with their expiring breaths cursing those who had induced them to embrace such a dreadful alternative.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
deedsnounUS /diːdz/
performance of moral or religious acts
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
a state in which all hope is lost or absent
From this reading The inhabitants of Chittore now gave themselves up to despair.
desperationnounUS /ˌdespərˈeɪʃən/
a state in which all hope is lost or absent
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
spoiled or ruined or demolished
From this reading Whole families destroyed themselves, dying in each other’s arms, and with their expiring breaths cursing those who had induced them to embrace such a dreadful alternative.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading The effect was dreadful.
a group of animals (a herd or flock) moving together
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
dyingadjectiveUS /ˈdaɪɪŋ/
in or associated with the process of passing from life or ceasing to be
From this reading Whole families destroyed themselves, dying in each other’s arms, and with their expiring breaths cursing those who had induced them to embrace such a dreadful alternative.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Whole families destroyed themselves, dying in each other’s arms, and with their expiring breaths cursing those who had induced them to embrace such a dreadful alternative.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading The effect was dreadful.
embraceverbUS /emˈbreɪs/
include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory
From this reading Whole families destroyed themselves, dying in each other’s arms, and with their expiring breaths cursing those who had induced them to embrace such a dreadful alternative.
enemy'snounUS /ˈenəmiz/
possessive form of “enemy” — an opposing military force
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
expiringverbUS /ɪkˈspaɪrɪŋ/
-ing form of “expire” — lose validity
From this reading Whole families destroyed themselves, dying in each other’s arms, and with their expiring breaths cursing those who had induced them to embrace such a dreadful alternative.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
plural of “family” — a social unit living together
From this reading Whole families destroyed themselves, dying in each other’s arms, and with their expiring breaths cursing those who had induced them to embrace such a dreadful alternative.
be afraid or feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
garrisonnounUS /ˈɡærɪsən/
a fortified military post where troops are stationed
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading The inhabitants of Chittore now gave themselves up to despair.
a state of partial or total darkness
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
the head of a state government
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
idolatrynounUS /aɪˈdɑːlətri/
the worship of idols; the worship of physical objects or images as gods
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
inducedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈduːst/
brought about or caused; not spontaneous
From this reading Whole families destroyed themselves, dying in each other’s arms, and with their expiring breaths cursing those who had induced them to embrace such a dreadful alternative.
plural of “inhabitant” — a person who inhabits a particular place
From this reading The inhabitants of Chittore now gave themselves up to despair.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
plural of “mind” — that which is responsible for one's thoughts, feelings, and conscious brain functions; the seat of the faculty of reason
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
monstrousadjectiveUS /ˈmɑːnstrəs/
abnormally large
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
not any; not one
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The inhabitants of Chittore now gave themselves up to despair.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
obfuscated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The inhabitants of Chittore now gave themselves up to despair.
and nothing more
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
other's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Whole families destroyed themselves, dying in each other’s arms, and with their expiring breaths cursing those who had induced them to embrace such a dreadful alternative.
parentnounUS /ˈperənt/
a father or mother; one who begets or one who gives birth to or nurtures and raises a child; a relative who plays the role of guardian
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
free from harm or evil
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
witty remark
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
slainnounUS /sleɪn/
people who have been slain (as in battle)
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Whole families destroyed themselves, dying in each other’s arms, and with their expiring breaths cursing those who had induced them to embrace such a dreadful alternative.
superstitionnounUS /ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃən/
an irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The inhabitants of Chittore now gave themselves up to despair.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Whole families destroyed themselves, dying in each other’s arms, and with their expiring breaths cursing those who had induced them to embrace such a dreadful alternative.
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading The inhabitants of Chittore now gave themselves up to despair.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The inhabitants of Chittore now gave themselves up to despair.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The inhabitants of Chittore now gave themselves up to despair.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Their governor was dead, a great number of the garrison had been slain in the late sally, and no hope of rescue appeared.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
which person or people
From this reading Whole families destroyed themselves, dying in each other’s arms, and with their expiring breaths cursing those who had induced them to embrace such a dreadful alternative.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading Whole families destroyed themselves, dying in each other’s arms, and with their expiring breaths cursing those who had induced them to embrace such a dreadful alternative.
belonging to which person
From this reading The fear of falling into the enemy’s hands drove many to deeds of desperation only heard of among those whose minds have been obfuscated by the gloom of that superstition of which idolatry is the monstrous parent.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Whole families destroyed themselves, dying in each other’s arms, and with their expiring breaths cursing those who had induced them to embrace such a dreadful alternative.
